Bifengxia Panda Base, Panda research center in Ya'an, China
Bifengxia Panda Base is a research center for giant pandas situated across 400 hectares (around 1,000 acres) of dense forest. The facility contains specialized zones dedicated to breeding, research, juvenile care, and veterinary medicine to support the animals' wellbeing.
The facility was established after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, when forty giant pandas were relocated from Wolong National Nature Reserve to this site. Rapid expansion of the center followed this relocation as research operations and care capacity grew to meet the animals' needs.
The name Bifengxia means "Split Peak Gorge," reflecting the location nestled between two mountain ridges in the local landscape. Visitors can sense this connection to nature as they move through the forested grounds, where the pandas' habitat mirrors the wider environment surrounding the facility.
Visitors can take part in volunteer programs offering hands-on activities such as preparing bamboo, cleaning enclosures, and learning panda care techniques firsthand. These programs provide direct engagement with the animals' daily care routines and the work involved in supporting them.
The center runs specialized training programs where juvenile pandas develop survival skills in simulated natural settings. This training prepares animals for potential release into wild habitats, teaching them how to forage and navigate forest environments on their own.
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